Disk wheel



Nov. 3, 1925. 1,559,535

S. W. ALDERFER Y DISK WHBEH' Filed Dec. 19, 1923 Patented Nov. 3, 1925. v

UNITED STATES STERLING W. ALDEBFER, OF AKRON, OHIO.

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Application filed December 19, 1923. Serial No. 681,509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STERLING W. ALBER- FER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Akron, county of Summit, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disk Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to disk wheels such as used on automobiles, and the purpose of the invention is to improve upon existing types of wheels of this character to enable them to better withstand blows and stresses received in service. Automobile disk wheels have been made of various forms with a view to obtaining slight resilience in a radial plane, but have been devoid of any resilience laterally, due to the solid disk construction.

By the use of my invention, wheels of this type are rendered more resilient in a radial plane and, in addition, are capable of yielding to lateral blows such as are received in service. The wheel of the present invention contains these characteristics in a high- 1y efficient and economical manner, as will be apparent from the following description and drawings. It will be understood that the showing herein is for the purpose of properly illustrating the invention and is not to be considered as limiting the invention to exact conformance with the details as shown and described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel;

Figure 2 is a radial cross-section thereof.

The wheel of the present invention utilizes the usual hub construction 1, having the flange 2 carrying the spacer block 3 and the usual bolts 4 by which the disk is attached to the wheel. These parts are of the usual construction and represent standard forms of these wheel parts.

' The disk is represented by the numeral 5, being held upon the hub by the bolts 4 as described. The diskis made of spring steel and is given a double or reverse curvature as shown, so that in radial cross-section it is in the general form of a letter 8 having two laterally, reversely positioned curvatures 6 and 7 placed concentrically of the hub and connected by an intermediate portion 8. On its outer periphery the disk is formed with an inwardly turned flange 9 and to the outer periphery of the disk is secured a tire carrying rim 10.

This rim is preferably of the quick de taehable type and is provided with an inwardly depending gutter 11 which accommodates the split side ring 12. The rim may also be provided with a circumferential head 13, the gutter and the bead serving as a seat or channel in which fits the outer edge of the. disk. Rivets 14; may pass through the rim and the disk at this point, although the specific means for attaching the rim to the wheel is not important. The disk is apertured at any suitable point for the passage of the valve stem 15.

In order to render the disk yielding in a lateral direction, in addition to increasing its yielding properties in the plane of the disk, it is provided with a plurality of radial slots 16 whch extend from a point near the rim to a point near the bolt circle 4. These slots pass through both curved formations 6 and 7. Intermediate the slots 16 are slots 17, each of which extends from the outer and short slots are placed in alternation, the

purpose of this construction being to obtain stri s of metal which are narrow enough to per orm the twisting action Without having them too narrow at the hub. The slots may be of any suitable width, open sufliciently, however, to permit the turning or torsion of the sectors defined by the slots 16 and 17. It is not suflicient to cut the metal along the radial lines, but a certain portion of the metal must be removed to permit independent twisting or toision of the sector-shaped metal strips.

It is obvious that the number and extent of the radial slots may be changed as seems practicable, the essential points being that the required resilience is obtained in the Wheel. The cross-sectional curvature of the disk in combination with the radial slots produces a new and efficient disk wheel as has been described. The slots may not extend to the hub or periphery of the disk and the strength thereof is not impaired for this reason. The curvature of the disk may also be changed without defeating the objects of the invention.

What is claimed is: i

1. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate disk and a tire carrying rim supported upon the outer periphery of the disk, the disk being reversel curved in radial cross-section and provi ed with a plurality of open radial slots extending from adjacent the rim to ad'acent the bolt circle, and '0 en slots interme iate the first named slots ut terminating short of the inner ends thereof.

2. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate disk and a tire carrying rim permanently secured on the outer eriphery of the disk,'the disk being reverse y curved in radial cross-section and having a plurality of open slots extending from the hub to points adjacent the rim.

3. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate disk and a tire carrying rim mounted on the outer periphery of the disk, the disk being -reversely curved in radial cross-section and havin a plurality of open J slots extending from t e hub to points adjacent the rim.

4. In a. wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate disk and a tire carr 'ing rim mounted on the outer periphery o the disk, the disk being curved 1n one direction at the hub and reversel curved in the opposite direction at the run, the disk being formed from a lurality of sector-shaped portions connected at the hub and rim and out of contact along their edges.

5. In a. wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate disk and a tire carrying rim mounted on the outer periphery of the disk, the disk being curved throughout its radius, andhaving a plurality of radial slots so that the disk is divided into sector-shaped portions connected only adjacent the hub and rim.

6. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate reversely curved disk and a'tire carrying rim mounted on the outer periphery of the disk, the web of the disk being provided with a plurality of slots so as to permit independent flexing or torsion of the several portions into which the disk is divided.

7. In a wheel constructon, a hub, an intermediate integral disk and a tire carr ing rim mounted on the outer periphery o the disk, the disk being curved throughout and having its central web divided into a plurality of independently flexible sectors by i open slots.

8. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate integral disk and a tire carr ing rim mounted on the outer periphery o the disk, the disk being curved throughout and having its central web divided into a plurality of independently flexible sectors by open slots of varying extent.

9. In a wheel construction, a hub, an intermediate reversely curved disk and a tire carrying rim mounted on the outer periphery of the disk, the web of the disk being divided into a plurality of independently flexible portions y a plurality of open slots STERLING w. ALDERFER 

